Severus and The Three Spirits Of Christmas
by wingnutdawn
Summary: Severus hates Christmas celebrations.Dumbledore asks three spirits to try to change his mind.does he fall for it? slightly revised


**Severus And The Three Spirits of Christmas**

Severus Snape hated Christmastime and just barely tolerated Albus's immense enjoyment of the holiday. The simpering sounds of the castle ghosts singing the antique carols of their time, along with Hagrids roaring slightly off key rendition of jingle bells was driving him to the brink of insanity, not that he had far to go with the stress of putting up with the festive, celebration loving dunderheads.

McGonnagall asked Dumbledore, "You don't think Severus has forgotten about the feast tonight"

"No, I don't think so, avoiding it yes, forgetting, NO." Dumbledore replied as he grinned.."I'll go down and remind him, just to be sure."

"MERRY CHRISTMAS SEVERUS" yelled Dumbledore as he spotted his young Potions Master, working in his lab.

Snape glared at the cheerful Headmaster who had just managed to startle him into accidentally ruining a particularly difficult experiment that he had been working on for the last six months.

"Headmaster." He hissed through clenched teeth. "To what may I attribute this fine ability of yours to disturb me at the wrong moment?"

"Problems Severus my boy?" asked Dumbledore. "You really should take a break and enjoy the joyous season."

"Over your dead body, and mine." Snape muttered as he stared at the now ruined potion.

Dumbledore chuckled and answered. "I am not going to let you sneak out on Christmas this year Severus, so I thought I would keep a close eye upon you, to ensure your compliance."

Severus glared at him with sheer unadulterated anger and sneered, "NO, I do not want to be subjected to your frivolous mind games, I Do-not-wish-to be-at-your-infernal- gathering-of-merrymaking-fools.

Severus turned and strode off to his quarters and threw his lean body down into the armchair that sat near the fire. He glared around as the Hufflepuff ghost known as the Fat Friar appeared and said "We ghost's were asked by the Headmaster to keep an eye on you. As first Ghost I am to show you your childhood joys and carefree ways, remind you of the child you once where."

Severus snorted as his eyes narrowed balefully. He said sarcastically "For the love of Merlin, give me a break Fat Friar, I thought true torture at Hogwarts was forbidden."

Never the less you will be coming with me." he said as he used some Christmas magic given to him by Dumbledore.

"This is your first Christmas Severus...you had just learned to wal,,,Gee that's too bad there's no tree, decorations, or gifts. That is strange, well let's see another Christmas"

With a wave of Christmas magic, he forwarded them to Christmastime, six years later. Before entering Spinners End he made sure it was Christmas by looking up and down the streets. "Right so here we go in" Same thing, no gifts, tree or decorations, The child Severus was sitting blank faced staring ahead at the empty wall while sounds of his parents fighting echoed in the background.

The Fat Friar was perturbed as he forwarded to Severus's first Christmas at Hogwarts. "Now this must have been a wonder..." he stared as he saw young Severus sitting alone reading in a corner of the Great Hall while other children where grouped together laughing."

Severus curled his lip and sneered "Do I have to keep seeing this? I would rather be back in my chair in my chambers." with that said the pair of them returned to the present where the Friar apologized sadly. "I didn't know Severus I am truly sorry but maybe the present Christmas will be different for you."

"Not bloody likely" snarled Severus.

"None the less" said the Grey Lady who came in behind them "I have been asked by the Headmaster to show you Christmas Present.

"I am not going to move my body from this chair." muttered Severus as he sat with his arms folded and sneered.

"Since this is Christmas your Corporeal body does not need to go, I can separate your spirit from your body and we can go unseen to the celebration as it takes place. She reached down and dragged the protesting Spirit of Snape out of his body. "There my dear boy come with me." she ordered and dragged him to the Great Hall where he saw himself sitting and sulking at the Head table with Albus and Minerva. There were also a few other members of the staff along with the few students who wished to stay for the holidays.

Severus stood beside the Grey Lady who had a firm grip on his grumpy ethereal form and watched the Christmas celebrations. Dumbledore and McGonagall were cheerfully drinking goblets of Christmas punch and cracked jokes. When stupid pointy Christmas hats with antlers protruding from them and crazy looking red pompom type noses appeared on everyone's faces making them look like Rudolf the red nosed reindeer. As if the Hats weren't bad enough, Severus was horrified as his eyes crossed and stared at the red flashing thing on the end of his nose.

The Grey lady's eyebrow rose in mild shock at the proceedings and shook her head as she turned to look at Severus who had covered his eyes with his hands.He grumbled, "At least I have been forewarned as to what crazy stunt Albus is going to pull off this year, thanks to you Grey Lady."

"And I thought It would be a graceful meal this year," the Grey Lady said sadly as she took him back to his body and reintergrated his spirit with his body.

Severus snorted as he inspected himself, making sure he was properly back together. She joined the Fat Friar who was looking very perturbed to say the least.

The Bloody Baron came in and saw he other two very distressed ghosts. "I take it you have already shown him the past and present Christmas's and he still refuses to believe in the season!" He turned to Severus and said in a very stern voice,. "It is up to me then to show you your future if you don't start attending the celebrations, with the proper attitude towards the season."

Severus's eyes crossed as he snarled. "Right, I take it Dumbledore thought you would like to join the other two in torturing me for Christmas, fine, so be it, show me my future Christmas." He said nastily as he got up off the chair. "Well lets be off," he muttered as he glared balefully at the Bloody Baron. "Well, shall we head to the Great Hall?"

The Bloody Baron scratched his head and said, "Er... no, it's like this, turn around and see your future self." He pointed to the chair behind Severus.

Severus turned around and said "I'm just sitting there Bloody Baron." he looked closely at his sitting form with its hooked nose, greasy black hair and sallow skin. "I do look rather peaceful, don't I?" He looked at the three ghosts. "I guess Dumbledore finally gave up on me eh?" he said with a satisfied smirk.

The Bloody Baon looked at him and shrugged his shoulders, as the other two looked at him sadly.

"What?" asked Severus as he tapped his foot impatiently.

"No-o-o Severus, Dumbledore did not give up on you." The Bloody baron started to explain as the Headmaster, a little older and fragile came in. "Severus come along now, the celebra..." His face crumbled as he noticed the body lying in the chair. "No-o-o." Dumbledore cried out, "MY poor boy, you really went to great lengths this year to avoid the Christmas festivities. I had something real special planned out for you too."

Severus arched his eyebrow and scowled, "Oh great so now you tell me I am going to die next Christmas."

The three Ghosts looked at each other then at Severus. "Yes you will if you don't change your ways." said the Bloody Baron. "I'm sorry."

Severus studied the scene before him as Dumbledore flooed Madame Pomfrey and notified her of Severus's demise. Tears ran down the old wizards face.

Severus looked at them and said, "I'm not sorry." he watched Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey as they conjured up a stretcher and gently laid him on it then covered his dead body with a sheet. "Too bad I had to spoil his fun though."

"You are most impossible Snape, we are trying to help you understand the meaning of christmas and you are being very uncoperative." moaned the bloody Baron.

"I guess I'll take that as a compliment, considering you three have tried to change my opinion of Christmas for as long as Albus has." said Severus as he looked thoughtfully at the scene before him.

They then returned Severus to the present Christmas Eve.

"Then you will change your ways and go willingly to the celebrations?" asked the Fat Friar as the Grey Lady and the Bloody Baron looked at him hopefully.

"Are you kidding me? Why I am going to look forward to next years' Christmas." With that he stretched and said sourly "I guess I better go make him happy this year and go to that insane celebration he has planned out, Thank you and I will definitely be seeing you three again next Christmas Eve."

Severus swept out of the dungeon, pleased to be forewarned against another of Dumbledore's Christmas Eve Feast Pranks.


End file.
